Relatório de atividades e relato de caso – Gastrotomia em cão para remoção de tricobezoar

Abstract

Gastrointestinal foreign bodies are an important cause of surgical intervention in small animal practice. Among them, trichobezoars are masses composed mainly of hair that can cause gastric obstruction, impair gastric emptying, and lead to clinical signs such as vomiting, apathy, and dehydration. This study aimed to report a case of gastrotomy for trichobezoar removal in a 1.6-year-old female German Spitz dog treated at a veterinary hospital in Goiânia, Brazil. The patient presented recurrent vomiting for three days, apathy, and regurgitation after feeding. Physical examination, complete blood count, and abdominal ultrasonography were performed, revealing inflammatory alterations and the presence of a gastric foreign body. Based on the diagnosis, an exploratory gastrotomy was indicated. During surgery, a trichobezoar measuring approximately 10 cm in diameter was successfully removed, and no additional foreign bodies were found in the gastrointestinal tract. The postoperative period was uneventful, with satisfactory recovery and return to normal physiological parameters within fifteen days. It was concluded that ultrasonography was essential for diagnosis and that gastrotomy is a safe and effective technique for the removal of large trichobezoars in dogs.

Keywords: Trichobezoar; Gastrotomy; Gastric foreign body; Dog; Ultrasonography.